Advancing Macomb completed the very first county-wide bike drive and give-away on Saturday, May 20th. The program began in the fall of 2016 with Macomb County and neighboring residents donating a total of 800 bikes to township and city hall offices.

Do you have more bikes than people in your home? No problem! Help kids across the Eastside and help clear some space in your garage. Consolidating this first-ever county-wide bike drive campaign, Advancing Macomb, the Macomb YMCA, Leadership Macomb, Thoughtful Missions, The Macomb County Executive Office, CARE of Southeast Michigan and No Bike Left Behind are creating a positive community impact by collecting bikes across Macomb this fall and distributing those bikes to kids in need in the spring of 2017.

Advancing Macomb is one of this year’s Manufacturing Day sponsors in Macomb County. After researching and creating a county asset inventory, the Advancing Macomb Board of Directors conducted several interviews earlier this year to determine top priorities for the county. Each of the identified priorities creates a positive impact on Macomb’s economy, community or natural resources. Manufacturing and manufacturing technology emerged as the driving factor for Macomb’s economic success – within the Detroit Region and globally.

2015 marked Advancing Macomb’s first official year of operation. In its first year, the organization completed an asset inventory for Macomb County, developed a three-year strategic plan, launched its digital and social presence and held its first annual meeting.

Modeled after organizations such as Detroit Renaissance and Grand Action, AM provides a unified voice for Macomb’s corporate, institutional, non-profit and public sectors. AM’s mission is to enhance the quality of life for Macomb County communities by leveraging collective support to invest in new and existing assets. While the immediate focus is primarily in Macomb County, AM also will look for opportunities for cooperation within the region.

Advancing Macomb – A group of leaders from across Macomb County have come together to set an agenda focused on creating long term economic opportunities and sustainable communities. Today they announce their new executive director, Melissa Roy.

In July of 2012, Macomb County Executive, Mark Hackel asked local community and business leaders to create an entity that could drive community and economic development for the county. Modeled after organizations like Detroit Renaissance and Grand Action, Advancing Macomb (AM) – a 501C3 private non-profit – was launched in June of 2013 and now in the spring of 2015, has established an office in Mount Clemens and secured the executive director services of Melissa Roy.

There are a lot of people working to make Macomb County a great place to live and work. That was evident by the crowd of people who turned out for Advancing Macomb’s annual breakfast meeting held at Lake St. Clair Metropark.

Roseville Rising: How an older suburb is rebuilding its historic center

Between the collision shops, machine supply outlets, used auto sales and vacant lots at Utica Road and Gratiot in Roseville, a bit of history lingers beneath the surface. You can see it in the bright yellow awning of the 68-year-old Chester Boot Shop, the green-and-cream 1927 Art Deco Roseville Theater, and the quaint tea room at Just Delicious Scones.

THE coLABorative, a business incubator and co-working space, has announced as its newest tenant Advancing Macomb, a non-profit committed to investment in and promotion of Macomb County.

“Illustrating our mission to promote and enhance Macomb's assets, THE coLAB is ideal space for Advancing Macomb,” said Melissa Roy, Advancing Macomb’s Executive Director. “THE coLAB is full of local entrepreneurs with a commitment to our community.”

A former assistant Macomb County executive has a new job, but the same goals: advancing the county’s economic and community development.

Melissa Roy has been named executive director of Advancing Macomb, a nonprofit organization comprising leaders from across Macomb County who those involved say are focused on creating long-term economic opportunities and sustainable communities.

A new business group dedicated to improving Macomb County’s quality of life announced their first contribution on Monday –- a playscape and other improvements at Freedom Hill County Park in Sterling Heights.

Leaders Advancing Macomb, or LAM, unveiled the playground area plus new landscaping, accompanying brick walkways and a new underground drainage system to prevent the park flooding of the past. The new features are located just south of the Freedom Hill Independence Building near the park entrance, west of the outdoor concert theater.

Taking the initiative was a walk in the park recently for a group of county business, nonprofit and civic leaders. Members of the Leaders Advancing Macomb board gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony Oct. 20 at Freedom Hill County Park in Sterling Heights.

According to its members, LAM strives to improve the county’s communities and their ability to help residents do business, innovate, have fun and more. The group recently announced that it spent around $25,000 to upgrade Freedom Hill’s playground amenities, landscaping, walking paths and storm water system.

Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel took on a new approach to marketing his community of more than 842,000 people Wednesday night – before even uttering the first word of his 40-minute 2012 State of the County address.

Hackel and his senior executives said a portion of event sponsorship and other revenue from the event at Macomb Community College in Clinton Township would go to fund the newly incorporated nonprofit Leaders Advancing Macomb Inc.

The nonprofit is headed by local business community leaders devoted to neighborhood reinvestment, promotional event sponsorship and other local marketing initiatives that could supplement the executive's own duties, under the county charter, to market the community.

WXYZ Detroit - On Sunday, July 31, Spotlight on the News will focus on the 2016 presidential race and the future of Macomb County. Guests will include: WXYZ-TV political pollsters Tim Kiska and Bernie Porn and the executive director of Advancing Macomb, Melissa Roy.

Spotlight on the News, now in its 51st season, is Michigan's longest-running weekly news and public affairs television program. It airs every Sunday at 10:00 a.m. on WXYZ-TV/Channel 7 in Detroit and 2:30 p.m. on 23.1 WKAR-HD in East Lansing and 6 p.m. on 23.2 WKAR World.